The Gorkha Janamukti Morcha (GJM)’s offer for an interim administration does not mean it is giving up on its demand for a separate state of Gorkhaland. It is in reality a step forward towards its eventual goal. That is what their general secretary, Roshan Giri, said on March 16.
Taking into consideration the assembly elections in West Bengal in 2011, GJM president Bimal Gurung, had scaled down their demand. He read out a proposal at a rally in Kalimpong, one of the three sub-divisions of Darjeeling district, saying GJM was prepared for an interim arrangement till the end of 2011. They have sent it to the Union Home Ministry looking for necessary arrangements saying that there was no question of retracing their steps from the demand for a separate state. They prefer an interim set-up as a provisional answer to the statehood problem till the assembly polls.
They expect legislative, administrative and financial powers for the proposed hill body. GJM has also demanded replacement of the Darjeeling Gorkha Hill Council (DJHC) of 1988. It has recommended the new body be named the Gorkhaland Regional Authority (GRA) or Darjeeling Dooars Regional Authority. They have not received anything from the Centre but would be discussing the issue in New Delhi on March 18. At the tripartite meeting in the capital they are going to press for an interim set-up till 2011 besides a separate Gorkhaland state.
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